Living like royalty doesn’t require millions—just the right passport stamp.

Living like royalty doesn’t require millions—just the right passport stamp.

There’s a myth that living like royalty means owning a castle and having someone peel your grapes.

I’d argue it’s simply about waking up somewhere beautiful, having time freedom, and never stressing over bills.

Shockingly, you don’t need millions. With roughly two grand a month, you can unlock that lifestyle in more places than you’d think.

Below are eight countries where I’ve either lived, slow-traveled, or interviewed long-term expats. Grab a coffee, picture yourself there, and let’s dive in.

1. Mexico

Mexico has long been a magnet for digital nomads and early retirees—and for good reason.

In colonial towns such as Oaxaca or San Miguel de Allende you can rent a stylish one-bedroom for $450, hire a housekeeper twice a week, and eat street tacos that cost less than a paperback.

According to International Living’s 2025 cost-of-living breakdown, a single expat can live comfortably in Mexico for about $1,537 a month.

When I parked myself in San Miguel, a $6 yoga class followed by a 50-cent agua fresca was my idea of self-care. Add weekend road-trips to hot-spring spas and you’ll wonder why you ever paid $14 for guac back home.

2. Thailand

If paradise had Wi-Fi, it would look like Chiang Mai or the islands down south.

I rented a bright studio with mountain views for $500 and quickly developed a ritual: $2 khao soi for lunch, a $6 foot massage at dusk, and night-market pad kaprow for pocket change.

Nomad List’s July 2025 dashboard says that the average expat budget in Chiang Mai is roughly $747 a month.

I’ll never forget my second week there. I was sitting at a cafe with a panoramic view of Doi Suthep mountain, sipping a coconut smoothie that cost me less than a Starbucks drip back home.

A friendly Thai woman walked by, smiled, and handed me a fresh mango from her garden without saying a word. Moments like that—random, human, deeply kind—reminded me that wealth isn’t just about money. It’s about how it feels to live.

Even if you splurge on occasional beach getaways to Krabi or Koh Lanta, you’ll struggle to crack the $2k ceiling—unless you collect scooters like Pokémon.

3. Portugal

Western Europe without Western-Europe prices? That’s Portugal—provided you skip Lisbon’s priciest districts.

In Coimbra, a riverside university town, I paid under $650 for a spacious flat with original tile floors. Groceries were laughably cheap, and locally produced vinho verde might ruin supermarket wine for you forever.

Rick Steves once called Portugal “Europe’s best-kept travel secret,” and I’d extend that to cost-of-living. Cafés still charge €0.70 for an espresso, so your daily caffeine habit won’t tank the budget.

4. Vietnam

Vietnam is the definition of value.

Picture $380 for a studio with a rooftop pool in Da Nang, or endless $1 bánh mì in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. I fell into a routine of sunrise beach runs, noodle-soup breakfasts, and $7 full-body massages that made me question reality.

A recent IndochinaTour food guide observes that street-food dishes in Vietnam typically cost between $1 and $4 per plate.

And trust me, Vietnamese cuisine is next level. Just ask the late Anthony Bourdain, who considered Vietnam his favorite place on the planet.

If you’re obsessive about stretching every dollar, Vietnam lets you live lavishly while barely denting the $2k mark. Pro tip: budget an extra $40 for custom-tailored clothes in Hoi An, because you’ll want them.

I once met a graphic designer from France who moved to Hoi An after burning out in Paris. Over drinks, she showed me her rent receipt: $280/month for a riverfront studio.

She told me she works fewer hours now, eats better, and finally has time to paint. Her story isn’t unusual—it’s one of many I’ve heard from people who found joy again by changing coordinates.

5. Colombia

Medellín has transformed from infamous to irresistible. Eternal spring weather, modern metro, and $3 fresh-pressed juices on every corner—what’s not to love?

High-rise apartments with Andes views hover around $650, and a cleaning service runs $15 a visit.

Salsa lessons, Spanish tutoring, weekend trips to coffee farms—still nowhere near $2k.

An expat friend boasts a $1,400 all-in monthly budget that includes gourmet dinners and domestic flights. Your biggest expense may be arguing with yourself about which fruit smoothie to try next.

6. Georgia

No, not the U.S. state—the country.

Tbilisi feels like an artsy European capital that someone forgot to overprice. I snagged a downtown one-bedroom for $500, with unlimited khachapuri (cheese bread) downstairs for pocket change.

Georgia’s “one-year, no-visa” policy for many nationalities makes settling in dangerously easy.

Add affordable healthcare, mountain hikes within an hour, and $3 bottles of Saperavi wine, and you’ve got a superpower budget.

7. Indonesia

Yes, Bali is still a bargain if you step beyond the Instagram traps. My Ubud villa with a private plunge pool ran $900, and that included weekly gardening and cleaning services.

I’d write in the mornings, hop on my scooter for a $1 smoothie bowl, then wind down with sunset yoga overlooking rice terraces.

One of my favorite memories is from a quiet Sunday when I wandered into a family-run warung. The owner, noticing I was alone, sat down and shared his homemade arak with me. We ended up talking for two hours—about family, life, and the meaning of enough. He made $8 a day and told me he was happy. I believed him.

It’s the kind of daily luxury package resorts sell for thousands—only you’re paying a sliver of that.

8. Bulgaria

If Roman ruins, mountain vistas, and €1 cups of speciality coffee appeal to you, put Plovdiv on your radar.

A renovated flat inside the Old Town’s cobblestone maze cost me €450. Monthly utilities? €80. Weekend spa trips to mineral-spring towns were the splurge at €25 a pop.

Bulgaria also ranks among the EU’s fastest internet speeds, so remote work won’t suffer. Your wallet certainly won’t.

Final thoughts

Living richly isn’t about a stacked bank account; it’s about geography and mindset.

When rent drops, so does stress. Creativity climbs. Time expands.

So the question isn’t “Can I afford it?” but “Which backdrop excites me the most?”

Where would you take your $2,000 first?